The Senate and House of Representatives each approved legislation in June of 2003 that would establish outpatient prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries as part of Medicare program reform. Among the key differences in the House and Senate bills that still must be addressed are the treatment of Medicaid beneficiaries…

In this video, Mildred Benham, a 68 year-old dual enrollee who lives in Bloomington, Illinois, describes the role Medicaid plays in providing services that Medicare does not, such as prescription drugs and personal care. Mildred is a typical dual enrollee in that she has multiple conditions, such as fibrosis of…

This report presents findings from focus groups conducted with people with a range of disabilities in an effort to understand the challenges they face and their experiences in the health-care system. To capture variations in experiences by source of health insurance, the groups include people covered under Medicare, Medicaid, and…

This document, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., provides a detailed side-by-side comparison of the prescription drug provisions of the House and Senate Medicare proposals, as passed on June 27, 2003. Along with these provisions, the side-by-side compares the major provisions relating to the role of private health plans in…

This chartpack provides a snapshot of racial/ethnic differences in Medicare beneficiaries? prescription drug coverage, use, and spending. It examines patterns separately for beneficiaries under age 65 and 65+. The summary discusses the relevance of the key findings to the current policy debates about prescription drug coverage. Chartpack (.pdf)

Low-income assistance is a key feature of the Medicare prescription drug proposals passed by the House (H.R. 1) and the Senate (S.1). The attached tables present national and state-level data on the number of low-income elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries who may be eligible for additional assistance, based on the…

This updated document, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., provides a side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate Medicare proposals, as passed on June 27, 2003. The side-by-side describes key provisions of H.R. 1, The Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003, and S. 1, The Prescription Drug and…

These briefing charts provide background information on prescription drug use and spending among the Medicare population, recent survey data on employers' likely reaction to a Medicare drug benefit, an overview of the proposals for prescription drug coverage passed by the House and Senate at the end of June 2003, and…

Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on MedicareA new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public’s attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also…

A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public's attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes a separate look at the differing views of younger and older Americans on…